Matthew Leach & Andrew Mitchell - Business Analysts, Change Your Perspective and Innovate!

Matthew Leach is NTT DATA’s Business Analysis Practice Lead for North America. A recognized thought-leader in the business analysis profession, Mr. Leach brings business acumen, leadership, and business analysis expertise to deliver successful projects while building business analysis expertise. He is a Certified Business Analysis Professional (CBAP) with a proven track record of leading engagements for companies of all sizes spanning the financial services, heathcare and life sciences, insurance, public sector, and high tech industries. Mr. Leach is an author of Version 3 of the Business Analysis Body of Knowledge (BABOK) and has contributed to several books, blogs, conferences, and publications on the topic of business analysis.

Andrew Mitchell is a Principal Consultant NTT DATA in Halifax, NS. His passion for Business Analysis began in 2007 while he was a Project Manager working with a Senior BA. He realized that Business Analysis was his true professional calling and quickly changed his career course. Despite spending over a decade as a software developer and later a Project Manager, Andrew had always been more interested in working with the business and understanding business needs. Currently Andrew is a Business Systems Analyst for a large Financial Services client and a Practice Lead in NTT DATA BA Practice for North America. He is also the Chapter President for IIBA Halifax and a frequent speaker on topics related to Business Analysis.
Business analysis grew up with software development, but our role is expanding. “Shall” statements and sequence diagrams have their place, but today’s business analyst needs to think differently. The next challenge in business analysis is to accept the role of flexible problem solver and innovator who is capable of using a wealth of tools and techniques to understand the business needs of start-ups, multinationals, non-profits and everyone in between. It is this connection of business need and potential solution that creates true innovation and business analysts need to drive that conversation.
“Changing your perspective” is about applying business analysis to innovate and champion change, addressing the challenges of our organizations and society. Innovation is more than the next advancement in technology, true innovation requires an understanding of needs (problems and opportunities) and how they can be realized to form a meaningful solution. Departing from existing norms and expanding our horizons, Version 3 of the BABOK reshapes business analysis in a way that takes us beyond software development. This is the next evolution in business analysis.
The goal of this presentation is to explore how “changing your perspective” and applying business analysis in non-traditional scenarios enables organizations to succeed. Digging into project experiences from across NTT DATA’s Global Business Analysis Practice we will be sharing more than just theory.
“Changing your perspective” is about applying business analysis to innovate and champion change, addressing the challenges of our organizations and society. Innovation is more than the next advancement in technology, true innovation requires an understanding of needs (problems and opportunities) and how they can be realized to form a meaningful solution. Departing from existing norms and expanding our horizons, Version 3 of the BABOK reshapes business analysis in a way that takes us beyond software development. This is the next evolution in business analysis.
The goal of this presentation is to explore how “changing your perspective” and applying business analysis in non-traditional scenarios enables organizations to succeed. Digging into project experiences from across NTT DATA’s Global Business Analysis Practice we will be sharing more than just theory.